Reddito di Cittadinanza (Citizens' Income)
Reddito di Cittadinanza (Citizens' Income) was Italy's national guaranteed minimum income program, active April 2019 to December 2023. It combined an income top-up (up to EUR 500/month) with a housing allowance (up to EUR 280/month, EUR 780 total for a single renter) for low-income households meeting ISEE, asset, and 10-year residency requirements. Able-bodied recipients had to register with employment centers and sign a job-seeking or social-inclusion pact. Funds were paid monthly onto a prepaid 'Carta RdC' debit card via Poste Italiane. The program, which cost an estimated EUR 34-38 billion in total, was abolished 1 January 2024 and replaced by two narrower successor schemes.
Guaranteed Minimum Income, National Program, Conditional Cash Transfer, Job-Seeking Requirement, Means-Tested, Italy, Discontinued, Replaced Program
Headquarters
- Organization Name
- Ministero del Lavoro e delle Politiche Sociali (Italian Ministry of Labour and Social Policies), with benefits administered by INPS (Istituto Nazionale della Previdenza Sociale / National Social Security Institute)
- City
- Rome
- State / Province
- Lazio
- Country
- Italy
Contact
- Phone
- 800 666 888
- Social media links
Status & Funding
- Organization status
- Active
- Program status
- Inactive
- Number of recipients
- 2,895,058
- Funding type
- Government
Benefits
- Currency Type
- Fiat
- Currency
- EUR
- Total Amount
- 15,163 EUR (≈ $17,266.10)
- Avg. Per Month
- 842.39 EUR (≈ $959.23)
- Payment frequency
- Monthly
- How long the program lasts
- 18 months
- Distribution Type
- Prepaid debit card ("Carta RdC" / Reddito di Cittadinanza Card, issued by Poste Italiane), cash could be withdrawn from Postamat ATMs up to EUR 100/month
- Benefit details
The maximum benefit for a single renter was EUR 780/month (EUR 500 income integration + EUR 280 rent contribution); homeowners with a mortgage could receive up to EUR 650/month instead (EUR 500 + EUR 150). Amounts scaled with household size via an equivalence factor and were lower for the elderly-focused variant "Pensione di Cittadinanza" (annual rent-contribution cap of EUR 1,800 vs. EUR 3,360 for RdC). Benefits were loaded monthly onto the prepaid Carta RdC card, usable for purchases, bill payments, and limited ATM withdrawals. Eligibility ran in cycles of up to 18 months, after which recipients had to pause one month before reapplying if need persisted. The national average monthly payment in 2023 was about EUR 563 per household.
Eligibility
Overview
- Eligibility details
Applicants had to be Italian/EU citizens or non-EU nationals holding an EU long-term residence permit, and have resided in Italy for at least 10 years (the last 2 continuously). Household ISEE had to be under EUR 9,360/year, with family income below EUR 6,000/year (EUR 7,560 for renters) multiplied by an equivalence scale. Movable assets were capped at EUR 6,000 (higher with more household members or disability) and non-primary-residence real estate at EUR 30,000; ownership of certain vehicles/boats disqualified applicants. Applicants aged 18-25 additionally needed a recognized vocational qualification or upper-secondary diploma unless already employed. Work-able household members aged 18-65 without exemptions (e.g., students, caregivers, people with disabilities, full-time workers) had to register as jobseekers, actively search for work, and accept suitable offers to retain the benefit.
Demographics
- Minimum age
- 18
Financial
- Income limit (annual household)
- $10,109
- Asset / net worth limit
- $32,400
Citizenship
- Citizenship / immigration status
- Citizen, Permanent Resident
- Minimum Years In Jurisdiction
- 10 years
Geography
- Countries covered
- Italy
- Residency of Target Geography
- Yes
- Minimum Years A Resident of Target Geography
- 10 years
Participation
- Complementary program enrollment required
- Patto per il Lavoro (job-seeking agreement with Centri per l'Impiego) or Patto per l'Inclusione Sociale (social-inclusion agreement with municipal social services) was mandatory for work-able household members as a condition of continued payment.
Application Process
- How to apply
Applications were submitted online at redditodicittadinanza.gov.it or via the INPS website (using SPID digital-identity credentials, level 2+), in person at Poste Italiane post offices, or through CAF/patronati (tax-assistance/welfare-advocacy centers). Applicants needed a current ISEE certification and valid ID. INPS communicated eligibility results within about 10 working days of submission; approved applicants then collected a prepaid Carta RdC card at a designated post office and were subsequently contacted by the local Centro per l'Impiego (job center) or municipality to schedule signing of the required pact.
- Selection process
There was no lottery or capped quota: INPS verified every application against ISEE, residency, asset, and income criteria, and approved all applicants who met the requirements (subject to annual budget appropriations by Parliament). Approved households were then triaged by employment centers (Centri per l'Impiego, supported by government-funded "Navigator" caseworkers) or municipal social services, depending on work-readiness, to formalize a Patto per il Lavoro (job-seeking pact) or Patto per l'Inclusione Sociale (social-inclusion pact).
